SaberCats find safety in hard-hitting kicker Frantz

Published 4:00 am, Saturday, June 26, 2004

It's entirely possible that when the San Jose SaberCats turn out their press guide next season, Dan Frantz will be listed with a rather unusual designation: kicker/safety.

That's because Frantz, who will culminate a productive rookie season with the SaberCats at ArenaBowl XVIII on Sunday in Phoenix, has established himself as a two-way threat.

He doesn't think his responsibilities end with kickoffs and placekicks.

No opponent returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the SaberCats this season, at least partially because Frantz, who played collegiately as a punter and placekicker at Portland State and was with the Washington Redskins in two training camps, was a notable defender, with 12 solo tackles and two assisted stops.

"We really didn't tell him to go make tackles," special teams coach Anthony Ross said of the 6-foot-1, 200-pound Frantz. "He just kind of did it on his own."

"I'm supposed to be a safety (on kickoffs)," Frantz said. "There have been times when I've had to step up and hit people. How many of those 13 or 14 tackles I've been in on would have gone for points if I hadn't made them? I think they've been a factor in our games, a nice spark for the team."

Frantz has made a definite contribution with his foot, too.

"I took my lumps early," he said, "because I was being a little impatient, rushing to the ball because I wanted to get the kicks off, and I missed some. But as I adjusted to kicking indoors, I felt I did a pretty good job."

He wound up 7-for-15 on field goals, was 106-for-127 on extra points and finished eighth in the Arena League in scoring among kickers with 127 points.

Frantz had every expectation he'd be kicking in the National Football League at this point, particularly after a good preseason showing with the Redskins in 2002.

"The coaches had been very happy with me," he said, "so it was tough to swallow when I was released with one preseason game left."

Frantz returned home to the Portland area and worked as a teacher's aide (he hopes to become a school administrator one day) and for Nike, but he then made contact with a kicking trainer who has pro football ties and wound up with the SaberCats.

He got the news he'd made the team after minicamp. And now he's on his way to the Arena League title game with the SaberCats, who will be in that contest for the second time in three seasons. The 'Cats will be trying to reverse a pair of regular-season losses, 58-41 and 50-43, to the Arizona Rattlers.

At least one Rattler will be anything but a stranger to Frantz.

Arizona wide receiver/defensive back Orshawante Bryant was his teammate and dormitory roommate at Portland State. They started college together as freshmen, redshirted a season and graduated simultaneously.

And, on July 24 in Portland, Bryant will be one of Frantz's groomsmen when he marries Shelby Rush.

But, friendship aside, Frantz knows what he'll do if he encounters Bryant after a kickoff Sunday.